Winning Projects excel in innovation, planning, budgeting.

Press Release Summary:



Concerning America's Transportation Awards Mississippi Valley regional competition, 10 transportation projects from 6 mid-America states were judged in 4 categories: Best Recovery Act Project; On Time; Under Budget; and Innovative Management. Each of 6 winning projects are in running for America's Transportation Awards Grand Prize and People's Choice Award. While Minnesota and Missouri Department of Transportation (DoT) received 2 awards each, Kansas and Iowa DoTs each won one award.



Original Press Release:



Winning Projects Show Superior Innovation, Planning, and Budgeting



(Des Moines, IA) - Highway users in Minnesota, Missouri, Kansas, and Iowa are benefiting from less congestion, improved safety, and greater productivity as a result of six projects that were named today as winners in the America's Transportation Awards Mississippi Valley regional competition.

"This is really about showcasing the tremendous work being done across the country and about letting our legislators know at the state and federal level, what we are doing in our states," said John Horsley, executive director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials in announcing the winners at the Mississippi Valley Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials annual meeting in Des Moines, Iowa. "It's particularly important at this time to let lawmakers know that with Recovery Act money, we are doing additional projects along with those already programmed. We're working hard and we are being accountable, and we are performing with pride," Horsley said.

Ten transportation projects from six mid-America states were judged in four categories: Best Recovery Act Project; On Time; Under Budget; and Innovative Management. The six winning projects are now in the running for the America's Transportation Awards Grand Prize and the People's Choice Award, which will be presented this fall.

AASHTO, AAA, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce are teaming up for the third year to host the competition to honor America's very best in transportation.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation received two awards: one for the US 169 Saint Peter Project, which took home a prize in the Best Recovery Act, Small Project category; and another for the Destination Target Field Ballpark Project, which won in the Innovative Management, Medium Project category.

The Missouri Department of Transportation also received two awards: one for the Diverging Diamond Springfield Interchange Project, which took home a prize in the Innovative Management, Small Project category; and another for the I-64 St. Louis Project, which won in the Under Budget, Large Project category.

The Kansas Department of Transportation's Wichita Central Corridor Project won in the On Time, Medium Project Category. The 24th Street Council Bluffs Project from the Iowa Department of Transportation won in the On Time, Small Project category.

Winners in the two remaining regional competitions will join the winners from the Northeast and Mississippi Valley in competing for the Grand Prize and People's Choice Award, which will be presented at the AASHTO Annual Meeting in Biloxi, Mississippi, October 31, 2010. The Grand Prize is awarded to the state DOT project receiving the greatest number of points in judging by a panel of experts. The separate People's Choice Award is presented to the transportation project that receives the greatest number of online votes from the general public. Online voting will begin later this year.

Learn more about the projects and the competition at www.americastransportationaward.org.

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